Mary’s Faith
Luke 1:26-38
When we talk about Mary’s faith when Gabriel announced that
she was going to be the Mother of God’s Saviour we so often focus on the virgin
birth. Yet, there is something that I missed until recently. Gabriel visited
her while she was living in Nazareth. She would have known enough Scripture to
realise that God’s Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.
Was this part of her
question “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”.
Did she wonder if
Joseph would be willing to travel to Bethlehem? After all, he already had his
own trade and family there. Did she even
want to go to Bethlehem herself? Maybe it was one of those places that she had
often been grateful she did not live in.
To Gabriel’s words, “with God nothing shall be impossible”
she responds with immense faith and commitment; “Behold the handmaid of the Lord,
be it unto me according to thy word.” Somehow, God was going to have to move
her and the baby to Bethlehem. I wonder if she thought that she might even have
to go alone? She knew that regardless of how they got there the journey was
going to be dangerous.
No matter what the future held for her, she was still
willing to do what God required of her.
When God calls us to the mission field that He has for us, regardless
of whether it is overseas, at home or writing and speaking, we have different
hurdles to overcome than the ones Mary could see.
Yet, I find it so hard to step out and remember that with
God all things are possible even, keeping me safe in dangerous circumstances.
